RBS 6 Nations 2013

[Italophile]

Half time. Ireland playing their way out of this. Tin hands, creaking lineout, and the scrum looking shaky. England just have to wait for the errors. Shame to lose Zebo early. Sexton off, too, but these conditions might better suit ROG. Healy might be looking at trip to the judiciary for stamping.

 

[qwerty51]

Disaster for Ireland losing Sexton and Zebo early and then O'Brien and O'Driscoll injured and ineffective thereafter. Healy will be suspended; they will be up against it for the rest of the tournament.

 

[Italophile]

Ireland's third quarter proved to be their best with SOB and O'Mahony making plenty of yards carrying, the scrum lifting and lineout firing. England were under pressure for the first time. SOB's injury was crucial and BOD didn't take much further part. Shame it took Ireland till the third quarter. England deserved the win. Better game management.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Terrible from Ireland. ROG should not be anywhere near international rugby, he cannot kick snow off a rope. Heaslip was utterly useless as well. Only positive from today is that hopefully fewer Irish lads will be involved with the fucking lions and I can support Australia with a clearer conscience.

 

[JSRF10]

Very disapointing from Ireland today, game was up as soon as Sexton went off. If ever there was evidence that ROG is no longer up to the task that is it, given the Slam is gone I think we should be experimenting for the rest of the tournament. If Sexton is out I'd give Madigan a run at 10 and Luke Marshall the 12 jersey, Luke Fitzgerald would come in on the wing and Chris Henry should get a run in the 7 jumper with SOB shifting to 6. Only positive is that Kidney needed a grand slam to get a new contract so he'll hopefully be slinging his hook in the summer and we'll get someone who is a rugby coach not a spoofing amatuer psychologist.

Fair play to England they fronted up well and made their tackles and kicked their goals well, it is disheartening to lose so easily to quite a limited side, its indicative of the lack of strength in the 6 nations that this team will probably win a slam.

 

[the plastic paddy]

I think the back rower who should be making way on today's evidence is Heaslip, he was terrible. Sob to eight and Henry into seven for me but more chance of hell freezing over. Fucking depressed by such a shit performance from Ireland.

 

[JSRF10]

I think the back rower who should be making way on today's evidence is Heaslip, he was terrible. Sob to eight and Henry into seven for me but more chance of hell freezing over. Fucking depressed by such a shit performance from Ireland.

Our consistantcy under Kidney has been shocking, we rarely back up decent performances and yet again the attack looked clueless. Ireland just seem to beat themselves a lot.

Heaslip ball carrying in an Irish jersey has been poor for a while, add in a day of poor handling and it doesn't look good. Not sure SOB is an 8, plus POM hangs out on the wing too much for my liking when he need to be clearing out rucks to give quick ball to Murray. We really could have used a fit Stevie Ferris today game was tailor made for someone of his physical presence.

 

[aeneas]

Of the three games only Italy v Scotland was any sort of advertisement for the game. France are beyond dreadful at the moment, I assume that there must be dissension in the ranks about something? Michelak seems to have regressed enormously from Super 15.

Can someone explain how ROG can be considered a back up number 10 for an international side. Surely Ireland's playing depth is not that shallow?

 

[KevinO]

Declan Kidney really has no game plan for a day where it's raining.

Trying to play rugby with the backs was pointless, England where good under the high ball. Ireland dropped the ball way to many times. Could give out for hours about this one, just going to hope we don't get another wet game this 6 Nations.

 

[JSRF10]

Of the three games only Italy v Scotland was any sort of advertisement for the game. France are beyond dreadful at the moment, I assume that there must be dissension in the ranks about something? Michelak seems to have regressed enormously from Super 15.

Can someone explain how ROG can be considered a back up number 10 for an international side. Surely Ireland's playing depth is not that shallow?

It could be argued he has been the 5th best 10 in Ireland this year. Sexton is out ahead as no 1 but then we have Madigan, Jackson, Keatley and ROG probably in that order. The only thing ROG offers over the other guys is experience, and maybe goal kicking but even that isn't clear cut anymore.

 

[Bardon]

Very disappointed with Ireland's display today. Can have no complaints with the result as England were simply better. ROG has been a great servant in green but it's past time he stepped aside and let some of the younger guys gain some much needed experience.

I can't see England going on to do a GS as I think either Wales or France will beat them. Ireland are still in with a shout of the title but we simply don't score enough points with Kidney's game plan. Plus England have the ruthless streak to want to pile more points on they have a team well beaten while we generally take our foot off the gas and allow the other team to close the gap.

I think Ireland will finish high enough for Kidney to keep his job but there's an entire generation of young Irish players who are missing out on caps due to his conservative selection policy and tactics.

 

[Italophile]

PSA and the French Fed have had a small victory in the political battle with the French clubs. Historically the squad have played Top-14 during the 6N break. The clubs have agreed to rest the players next weekend. Yet they will still return to their clubs rather than remain as a squad. All very French.

I can see an England GS. It was a very mature effort yesterday in tough conditions given the relative inexperience of the side. Credit to SL. Wales solved none of their problems against a diabolical France and I don't believe a win will miraculously turn them around.

France? Who knows? Dusautoir is a shadow of himself returning from serious injury which isn't helping. If PSA decides to select the best players in their right positions it could set up a turnaround to rival the World Cup. That they have to go to Twickers could be the clincher.

 

[qwerty51]

It would be very French for them to do over England at Twickenham next round

 

[Italophile]

9. Parra
10. T-D
12. Fofana

would be a start.

 

[the plastic paddy]

It would be very French for them to do over England at Twickenham next round

I would not be even slightly surprised. England won in Dublin because Ireland choked and bottled it. Ireland lost it, plain and simple.

 

[JSRF10]

Cian Healy cited for his Roid Rage on Dan Cole, I’d expect him to get 2 weeks with 1 week taken off for no previous infractions.

Interestingly in the major Irish papers Sexton and Gilroy are taking most of the flack for Irelands loss, their poor kicking cost us the game apparently . As usual no questions asked of the coaching team, it’s getting very frustrating that they get off scot free every time we produce abject performances! George Hook even suggested ROG had a good game!

 

[JSRF10]

I would not be even slightly surprised. England won in Dublin because Ireland choked and bottled it. Ireland lost it, plain and simple.[/quote]

How many times have we said that over the past few years. There is something seriously wrong with our mental preparation

 

[Lindommer]

Watched a bit of the Scotland/Italy last night, it was heartening to see Scotland in white jumpers and Italy wearing their traditional azure blue. This is how rugby was in the past when jumper colours clashed: the visiting team travelled with only one set of jumpers while the home side delved into their kit room for a change strip, after all the home side does have home ground advantage. When the All Blacks played in Edinburgh the Scots traditionally changed to a white jumper, as the ABs did when Scotland played in New Zealand. Why can't the Super sides follow this tradition?

One point among many where rugby has unnecessarily adopted soccer practices after we went professional. A shame.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Watched a bit of the Scotland/Italy last night, it was heartening to see Scotland in white jumpers and Italy wearing their traditional azure blue. This is how rugby was in the past when jumper colours clashed: the visiting team travelled with only one set of jumpers while the home side delved into their kit room for a change strip, after all the home side does have home ground advantage. When the All Blacks played in Edinburgh the Scots traditionally changed to a white jumper, as the ABs did when Scotland played in New Zealand. Why can't the Super sides follow this tradition?

One point among many where rugby has unnecessarily adopted soccer practices after we went professional. A shame.

The last time we played SA in SA I think the Saffas changed jerseys TBF. The only team that never seems to change are the master race but they own the shade black so they don't have to!?!

 

[the plastic paddy]

Cian Healy cited for his Roid Rage on Dan Cole, I’d expect him to get 2 weeks with 1 week taken off for no previous infractions.

Interestingly in the major Irish papers Sexton and Gilroy are taking most of the flack for Irelands loss, their poor kicking cost us the game apparently . As usual no questions asked of the coaching team, it’s getting very frustrating that they get off scot free every time we produce abject performances! George Hook even suggested ROG had a good game!

I hope you are right about Healy but I think he might get longer than that myself. His performance was symptomatic of the mental frailty of the Irish team IMHO. Why the fuck he felt the need to put in such an unnecessary cheap shot when he was completely schooling Cole is beyond me, did it betray a loss of control brought about by nerves? Does it demonstrate that he doesn't have the innate confidence in himself that his talent undoubtedly warrants? For me he is the best loose head in the world, he has owned Jones and Cole the last two weeks, and yet he felt the need to put in that malicious little stamp.

Right through the team there are players who seem to be wracked with self doubt, Best is in the top three hookers playing the game but does he have that belief in himself? Ryan made a mess of the England line out, turning Youngs the larger into a stuttering mess, but he still gives the impression he has only got the jersey because Paulie isn't there. Watching a Heaslip press conference, you get the very real sense that for all the bravura the man is no where near as self confident as outward appearances. Murray made a monkey of Phillips in Cardiff but still came into the game on sunday looking as though he couldn't quite believe he was really meant to be there.

When you add in Sexton struggling with tight hamstrings all week (and ROG being shit), BOD's mind inevitably being elsewhere after becoming a father for the first time, Zebo breaking his foot and Kearney feeling his way back from a serious back operation, there were no leaders in that Irish side on sunday and how it showed in the choking performance.

If ROG starts in Murrayfield, and barring injury he will, Ireland will lose and still the madness of his selection, he shouldn't even be starting for Munster, will continue. Hook has demonstrated that he knows nothing about the game if he thinks that someone who cannot kick snow off a fecking rope played well.